Stoudemire and the Knicks: Playoff Imitators or the Real Deal?

It looks like Christmas will arrive a little early this year for Knicks fans everywhere. After an impressive 113-110 last minute win over the Toronto Raptors, the Knicks improved to 14-9 on the season, having won six straight.

In their last 10 games the Knicks are 9-1 and now sit in 6th place in the Eastern Conference, just one game behind the Atlanta Hawks.

Amar'e Stoudemire left last night's game to the tune of MVP chants. Stoudemire has been lights out during this stretch, and virtually the entire season. Stoudemire is averaging 25.7 points and 9.1 rebounds per game.

The entire Knicks team is second in the league in points per game just behind the Phoenix Suns. Not only that, second round pick Landry Fields has stepped up completely. Fields is averaging 10.3 points and 7.6 rebounds, pretty good for a second rounder.

Not only that but another one of the Knicks free agent signings, Raymond Felton is averaging 18.6 points and 8.6 assists per game.

Now don't get too excited. The Knicks have one win against a team over .500, and that record could mean a lot of things. Yet, they haven't lost a game by more then 10 since November 9th in Milwaukee.

So now the question raises, will the Knicks finally a make a run into the playoffs or like always, are they being as fake as the items peddled on the streets of New York?

With the addition of Carmelo Anthony still being a plausible idea the Knicks could and will make a run. The Knicks are in a very weak Eastern Conference. In fact, the 8th seed as of right now, Milwaukee, is 8-13.

As a Knicks fan I am beyond ecstatic. The possibility of a playoff run is great and can finally ignite the city's basketball fever. Don't get your hopes up that high though, because this is the Knicks. Anything is possible.